My name is Ben Hoksch, I grew up in Johnston, Iowa. As a child I explored the floodplain forests and prairies surrounding Badger Creek and the dammed river that made Saylorville Lake. I often visited my father’s hometown, Lansing Iowa, a sleepy river town on the banks of the Mississippi River; there I learned to appreciate wild places through exploring the hills and backwaters along the river.
I have been an educator since the age of 12 when I started offering talks on my collection of snakes to daycares and after school programs. This interest in nature and education led me to attend the University of Northern Iowa where I pursued undergraduate studies in Biology, Natural History Interpretation, and Outdoor Recreation. During my undergraduate work I was able to travel overseas to hitchhike and study biology in New Zealand and Australia. This experience gave me the skills to become a trip leader for UNI’s Outdoor Recreation Program where I co-led groups of students and community members on outdoor adventures around the country. It was during this time of travel and transition that I learned about Iowa’s rich natural heritage, the vanishing prairie, and the wonder of untrammeled land within the state.
After my undergraduate work was finished in 2012, I set off to successfully canoe the entire Mississippi River from the headwaters at Lake Itasca, MN to the Gulf of Mexico. Soon thereafter I started and completed a graduate program in Biology at UNI where I developed my skills as an ecologist. I worked on projects studying botany, grassland birds, butterflies, and the restoration of Iowa’s tall grass prairie ecosystem. The skills I gained as an ecologist I poured into learning about wild foods; how to find, process, and consume them, and how to educate the public about their benefits.
These lessons lead to the development of a multi-faceted business called Front Yard Sugar. With roots making small scale maple syrup, I have diversified to make all kinds of local sugar: sweet sorghum, honey, apple cider syrup, and flavored maple syrups. These endeavors are still small scale and community based. Diversity being the name of the game.
All of the services and products I offer are available on a sliding scale for persons that are unable to afford them. Please contact me to have a conversation.
